What You Know
by AlloraSilverfield
Summary: Do you really know your world? Is it the only world? It may not be. Follow Josi as she discovers that not everything is what it seems as she travels from the real world into the world of pokemon. Because what you know may not be what is really there.
1. Other Side

I had a moment of extreme vision this morning, and I just had to write this chapter. I know it is very basic and simple, with a lot of information in very few words, but this should be one of very few chapters like it. The rest of the story will be written from a standpoint similar to Allora Silverfield (read it if you have yet to!) I hope it sounds interesting to my fans, and I'm not even entirely sure where it's going, but it has several tie-ins to Allora so I know where it will end. This is mostly a set up chapter, so please, let me know how it looks! Silverfield

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[LOG: #1]

[DATE: 8-12-2014]

[INTRODUCTION]

[THIS ACCOUNT WILL BE GIVEN FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF JOSEPHINE SCALES. THIS INTRODUCTION WILL DESCRIBE THE EVENTS PRECEEDING THE ENTRANCE INTO THE POKEMON UNIVERSE. AT THE MOMENT OF ENTRANCE, THE LOG WILL TRANSFER TO FIRST PERSON DICTATION. THESE ARE THE FACTS AND ONLY THE FACTS, MAKE NO MISTAKE OF THAT.

**ONE**. JOSEPHINE SCALES BECAME THE POKEMON NINTENDO DS WORLD CHAMPION ON AUGUST FIRST OF 2013 IN THE REAL WORLD.

**TWO**. JOSEPHINE LANDED IN TOKYO, JAPAN ON AUGUST THIRD AFTER HER VICTORY TO MEET THE CREATORS OF THE POKEMON UNIVERSE.

**THREE**. THE CREATORS TOLD JOSEPHINE THE SECRET TRUTH. IT GOES AS FOLLOWS

-WHEN THE HANDHELD POKEMON VIDEOGAMES RED AND BLUE WERE CREATED, ANOTHER UNIVERSE WAS CREATED. THIS VIRTUAL WORLD FLOURISHED BEYOND THE VIDEO GAME, AND CONTINUES TO PROCEED IN WAYS COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM GAMEPLAY.

-THE GAMES WERE MODELED AFTER THIS UNIVERSE WHICH WAS CREATED. ORIGIONALLY MEANT TO BE SIMPLE, THE POKEMON GAMES WERE MODIFIED TO PARALLEL THIS NEW UNIVERSE AND BECAME THE MOST UNIQUE AND ELABORATE ADVENTURE GAMES THE WORLD HAD EVER SEEN. ONLY THE CREATORS AND A SELECT FEW SCIENTIST KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE.

-THE PROFESSORS OAK, ELM, BIRCH, ROWAN, AND JUNIPER DISCOVERED THE REAL WORLD FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

-THE ACCESS THAT NINTENDO HAS TO THE VIRTUAL WORLD IS VERY LIMITED. THEY KNOW ONLY WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE AND DISCUSS THROUGH A CONTROLED CONTACT SYSTEM LOCATED IN PROFESSOR OAK'S POKEMON LAB.

-THE CONTACT SYSTEM IS THE PORTAL THROUGH WHICH THE POKEMON UNIVERSE WAS CREATED WHEN NINTENDO CREATED POKEMON.

-REMEMBER THAT ONCE AGAIN, THE POKEMON GAMES PROVIDE A VERY LIMITED GLIMPSE INTO HOW THIS WORLD REALLY WORKS. NINTENDO CREATED THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, THE WORLD CAME TO BE ON ITS OWN.

-ONLY THE FIVE PROFESSORS OF POKEMON KNOW OF THE REAL WORLD INSIDE OF THEIR UNIVERSE. THIS HAS BEEN KEPT A SECRET, JUST AS THE POKEMON WORLD HAS BEEN KEPT A SECRET TO THE REAL WORLD.

-A SMALL TRANSPORT PORTAL WAS BUILT IN OAK'S OFFICE NEXT TO THE CONTACT POINT. IN ORDER TO REMAIN INCONSPICUOUS, THE PORTAL MUST CHARGE UP POWER FOR ONE YEAR IN ORDER TO MAKE ONE TRANSFER.

-TEAM ROCKET HAS DISCOVERED WHAT THEY ARE CALLING AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. ONLY THE POKEMON PROFESSORS KNOW WHAT HAS REALLY HAPPENED.

-THEY ARE TRYING TO BUILD THEIR OWN PORTAL. ACCORDING TO THE PROFESSORS, THEY COULD QUITE POSSIBLY DO IT. BECAUSE ROCKET DOES NOT CARE ABOUT REMAINING INCONSPICUOUS, THEY WOULD USE AS MUCH ENERGY THAT IS NEEDED TO TRANSFER AS MANY POKEMON AS THEY WANTED.

-THEY ARE BUILDING AN ARMY USING POKEBALLS WHICH CONTROL THE FREE WILL OF POKEMON.

-IF THEY SUCCEEDED IN BUILDING A PORTAL, WHICH THE PROFESSORS SAY AT THIS RATE THEY WILL HAVE ONE IN ONLY A YEAR, THEN BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE NO COMPATABLE RELEASE POINT IN THE REAL WORLD, THE TRANSFER POWER WILL BUILD UNTIL IT BURSTS AND IS RELEASED THROUGH EVERY HAND-HELD GAME SYSTEM ON THE PLANET. EACH SYSTEM WILL BECOME ITS OWN PORTAL, AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WILL BE KILLED INSTANTLY BY THE INSANE ENSLAVED POKEMON.

-WAR WILL ERUPT. PEOPLE WILL DIE. CHAOS WILL REIGN.

-THE SMALL PORTAL WAS TESTED. IT WORKS, BUT INEFFICIENTLY AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED.

**FOUR**. THE POKEMON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WAS HELD TO DISCOVER THE GREATEST POKEMON MASTER IN THE REAL WORLD. A SIMILAR TOURNAMENT WAS HELD IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD TO DISCOVER THEIR POKEMON MASTER.

**FIVE.** JOSEPHINE HAS AGREED TO BE SENT INTO THE VIRTUAL WORLD AND BE BREIFED ON HER DUTIES, RECEIVE HER FIRST POKEMON, AND COMPLETE THE GYM CHALLENGE.

**SIX.** THE CORRUPT ELITE FOUR AND CHAMPION ARE WORKING FOR ROCKET.

**SEVEN**. ROCKET IS BUILDING A PORTAL IN THE MANSION OF THE CHAMPION, WHICH CAN ONLY BE REACHED BY AN ELITE FOUR VICTOR.

**EIGHT.** ON AUGUST THIRD AT 7:32 PM, JOSEPHINE ENTERED THE TRANSFER PORTAL IN THE REAL WORLD.

THESE ARE THE FACTS AND ONLY THE FACTS. THEY ARE TO BE ACCEPTED. MAKE NO MISTAKE OF THAT. ALL ELSE WILL BE KNOWN THROUGH THE FIRST PERSON ACCOUNT OF JOSEPHINE. SIGNING OFF.

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Just like that, the virtual display and automated voice kicked off.

"Good luck," Satoshi Tajiri whispered as I stepped into the glass case that was the transfer tube. I swallowed and took one last glance at the real world. The only world I had known existed up to three hours ago when I had a face to face conversation with Professor Oak. I breathed a deep breath and shut my eyes as I prepared to enter the world that I knew I was meant for. I allowed myself a small smile as I tried to imagine what I was in for.

Then I felt nothing yet everything.


	2. A Beginning

****Lots of word for the first real chapter of my new story! Enjoy this chapter, which contains a lot of setting up. Lots of information packed into this one, so enjoy!

P.S. If you haven't read my other story, Allora Silverfield, make sure you check it out!

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**[Log #2]**

**[August 3rd 2013]**

**[7:33 PM]**

**[Transfer]**

I saw sounds and heard colors as I was thrust into something the equivalent of inky blackness yet blinding light. I say saw, but seeing doesn't quite describe the sensation, as I had no eyes in that moment. It was as if the images of the black light were being projected directly into my mind. As well as the colors, for in the transfer I couldn't distinguish between sight and sound, and it was as if I was seeing them for the first time but yet not as true sight, but noise.

It is a very difficult feeling to describe, but let's just say it was mind altering. It lasted only an instant, but felt like hours.

And then I blacked out.

**[8:48 PM]**

The first thing I was aware of was feeling. Everything was still black, as my eyes were still shut, but I became aware of my immediate surroundings quickly. I was very comfortable, and this I noticed first. It interested me, because I thought I was to be entering a lab from the portal, not a lounge, but yet I stayed still. Slowly, one at a time, I opened my eyes.

I was in a dimly lit lobby, laid on an old, red couch. A scratchy blanket covered me from my shoulders to my toes. My toes. I wiggled them, noting that my shoes had been removed. The room was dark, with just one window. Through the window was also dark, the last bit of sunlight just fading away.

It was a plain room, just the couch itself, and a lamp against the wall. One door, with a whole other world on the other side.

My eyes widened as the reasoning as to why I was on this couch under this blanket in this strange room dawned on me once again. Pokemon. I was in the other universe. Suddenly, I leapt up from the couch and ran to the window. The sun had already set, however, and it was too dark to make anything out save for the few houses off in the distance. Pallet Town, I remembered, and remembered to exhale.

I felt my knees start to give, and I managed to make it back to the couch just before they bent. I sank into the cushion and stared at the ceiling. I raised my hand and studied my fingers, my nails. My hand looked no different. In fact, nothing did. It was not animated, nor two-dimentionalized. It was… real.

There was a brisk knock at the door, and I jerked my head towards the sound. "Josi?" came a voice that I recognized. Oak. I remembered his voice from the conversation we had had in Tokyo. "Josi, are you awake yet?" The handle turned, and light flooded the room as the door was opened.

The man standing in front of me was an older man, with spiky grey hair, in a lab coat. He had kind, crinkled eyes and a concerned look on his face at first. This melted into a genuine warm smile as he saw me sitting up.

"You're… Professor Oak," I managed to say. My voice sounded no different in this world either, save for a little stunned. I hadn't been altered at all in the transfer.

"Yes I am! Welcome, to the world of pokemon," he began. "I'm sure you have lots of questions. Would you like to meet my fellow professors." I nodded, still absorbing what had just happened. "Excellent! Come on now, can you stand?"

I slowly got to my feet, which felt more trustworthy than before. Oak moved out of the way as I stepped from the carpeted waiting room into what I assumed was the lab. The tile was colder on my feet, but the room was warmer to my skin. The fluorescent lights blinded me, and I had to blink a few times before I could see. I gasped.

Standing in front of me were the other four professors; Elm, Rowan, Birch, and Juniper. The four smiled the same truly honest smiles as I recognized them, and we all shook hands. But I was hardly focused on the greetings and welcomes. I was focused on the thing on the ground in front of me.

There was a small indigo circle on the ground, with long green leaves growing out of its back. It had little feet, and grinned at me as I walked in to the room. "An oddish," I breathed. The professors smiled.

Birch spoke first. "We figured we'd ease you in with a pretty basic pokemon at first. Yes, this is an oddish."

"I'm glad to see she knows that at least," grumbled Rowan.

"Oh, hush grumpy," chirped Professor Juniper. She turned to me and smiled. "Rowan seems to have less faith in a Player coming in to help, but don't worry. He just likes to appear rough on the outside. We all have faith in you."

"A Player?" I inquired.

It was Elm who answered me. "'Players' are what we have dubbed those from the outside. You do play the game, don't you?" I nodded. "Good! That's a start. But this world is much more different from that one, as you will soon see."

I bent and picked up the oddish. It squealed and squinted its eyes in happiness. Its skin was soft, and the leaves felt just like the ones in the real world that grew on trees. I was baffled.

"Is she up- oh!" came a new voice from behind me. I turned. A mixed boy around seventeen had entered the room. He was taller than me, and built like a soccer player. I immediately became more confident, and hyper aware of if I was drooling or not. I stood from my crouched position, cradling the oddish in my hands.

His eyes started on my own, then traced up and down my body, leaving me feeling naked. His stare turned from curious, to doubtful, to critical. "How is she supposed to help with anything? I'm surprised she made it this far. Look, look how fascinated she is by a simple oddish!" He pointed his finger accusatorily at me. "She will never make it past the fence. She'll get distracted by every oran berry and rattatta in sight!"

I hate to admit it, but the word rattatta actually made me very excited. Before I could ask exactly where I could find one so I could run and pet it, Oak spoke.

"We are dealing with two worlds now, Connor, and we need the best from each world to fix this crisis. Now, you know your duties." He turned his gaze to me. "This is Connor. Connor will be teaching you about this world and how to be the true best, and how to battle beyond the A button." At this, Connor snorted.

I nodded at Oak. It was true, I really had no idea what true battling was. I knew about the mechanics of it, like EVs and IVs and move combinations, but I had never even considered something as simple as there being a rock in the way of my flamethrower; it was a humbling realization.

"Now come in Connor, and we will brief you on your responsibilities," ordered Rowan. He moved and stood next to Birch, who was standing behind a metal table. I yawned, not because I was bored, but because even through my nap I was still exhausted from the day's events, mentally and physically. Juniper pulled me up a rolling stool and I sat at the table, across from the two professors.

Birch began: "The two of you will head with me to the Hoenn region. The Hoenn Champion's mansion is where the portal is supposedly being created. Rocket has overpowered both Team Aqua and Team Magma, and run them out. They now control the crime in the region. Connor, we want to remain inconspicuous in our mission, so this means use only pokemon that can be found in Hoenn." Conner nodded, expressionless.

Birch looked at me. "As for you, Josi, once we reach Hoenn, we will work on getting you your own pokemon." My heart fluttered. "Connor has already completed the gym challenge and conquered the Elite Four and Champion in Hoenn, and due to regulations he is not allowed to challenge them again. Therefore, we need someone on the inside to get him in, preferably someone just as powerful, and with extensive knowledge of the pokemon universe. You, Josi."

I took it in. Minor details were explained thereafter, but I had just heard my calling in life. To take the pokemon gym challenge and become a true trainer. It was hard for me to focus on anything that was said after, and luckily most of the information was for Connor. All I got out of the next thirty minutes was that Connor was supposed to train me to become his equal, or at least close to it, as he seemed to think I was completely incompetent.

"Any questions?" Birch asked after what seemed like forever. Boy did he like to talk. "Now our plane leaves tomorrow at seven AM." Connor started to protest but Birch held up a hand. "Josi does not have her fly license, so we will all be traveling by plane. Connor, make sure you create a separate PC account for your Hoenn pokemon so no one accidently peeks at a rare name in your extensive collection."

Connor nodded briskly, then stood. "Is that all?" Birch looked at Oak for confirmation, who sighed and nodded. Conner stalked out of the room and slammed the lab door, shaking the window panes.

Elm rubbed his temples. Juniper put her hand on my shoulder. "Don't feel bad dear. Connor just wanted to be able to do it all himself. He hates having to accept help, especially from a girl, and especially from one who's a Player." She looked down. "He hasn't accepted the whole alternate universe thing very well. I don't know if any of us have been able to completely accept it, even still! But he'll come around.

And as for you being a girl, well I think it just makes him feel less manly, if you know what I mean." She winked at me. "Don't worry, I'm proof that women can make it in this world! I am the first female professor you know." Rowan and Birch exchanged glances. Elm rolled his eyes.

I finished off the evening chatting about the pokemon world with the professors, taking in as much knowledge as I could. I was really only half listening, as I strained to spot any pokemon, any at all, through the dark windows of the lab. But the bright light on the inside prevented me from seeing into the darkness outside, so I remained content with petting the cute little oddish that had fallen asleep in my lap.

During an in depth conversation about evolution involving trading (what do you mean it doesn't exist?) I stifled a yawn. Oak smiled, and made to end the conversation. He gently took the oddish out of my hands and, with it still sleeping, returned it into a red and white ball. A real pokeball. I stared, gaping, until he ushered me out of the lab and back into the room with the couch.

I yawned again, gratefully accepted the scratchy blanket offered to me, and promptly fell asleep.

**[8:27 AM]**

**[August 4th 2013]**

"Geez Josi, if you keep your face pressed up against that window, it's probably going to get stuck there." When he realized that I had either not heard or chosen to ignore the comment that he had made, Connor rolled his eyes and put his head in his hands.

I couldn't help it though. Every landmark that I had known existed in the Kanto Region was laid out beneath me under the belly of this plane. We flew over Kanto, and the very southern tip of Johto, and then we reached the ocean.

It was odd. Up in the air, with no pokemon around, it almost felt like I was flying to Japan from the United States again. I hugged my shoulders tightly at the thought and tried to get some sleep.

**[10:02 AM]**

The tiny plane touched down in the small airport just east of Petalburg City around ten o' clock that day. I made my way down the stairs and onto the runway, and gasped. Everywhere I looked, there were machoke running this way and that, hauling luggage carts and transferring materials into the belly of cargo planes.

Connor stifled a laugh when he saw my shocked expression. He glanced around, nonchalant. "If anything proved to me that you were a Player, it's this." He looked at Birch. "It's like she's never seen a pokemon before!"

"That's because she hasn't," Birch commented, annoyed. "Now come on, we have places to be. No time to waste."

I stared, wide eyed, at the friendly machoke who handed me my suitcase that I had brought from the Real World. "Choke! Mach machoke!" it said in greeting. I smiled, quickly took my suitcase, and made a beeline for the small white car parked along the runway.

**[10:55]**

"So, pokemon can evolve during a battle? Not just after?" Connor looked at me like I had three eyes, blinked a few times, and then looked out the window, shaking his head.

Birch sighed. "Yes, they can," he answered from the driver's seat, clearly exasperated. "And it can potentially be a great turning point during the battle. It is really quite exciting!" He smiled to himself. Connor snorted.

We were nearly to Littleroot, and though I had spent the majority of the car ride staring out the window trying to find pokemon, I was still intrigued by the new mechanics of this world versus the game. Besides, those pokemon that I did see out the window were gone before my eyes could truly focus on them, disappearing into the forest around us.

The dirt road turned to gravel and crunched under the car's tires as we pulled into a small clearing. The road had several points at which it branched off into the forest, and through these tiny clearings I could barely make out the houses shrouded by the giant trees. There were very few of them, and it wasn't long before we reached a white, two story building on a four acre plot of land. Now I could see the pokemon, and I gasped.

This morning when we headed to the airport, it was still very early. The pokemon of Kanto were asleep. But it was almost lunch time in Hoenn, and these forest pokemon were wide awake. The sky was filled with tailow, and they flittered around the yard and landed in groups on the single power line connected to what I assumed was the lab. The ground was dotted with small, raccoon-like pokemon eating grass and fallen leaves. These zigzagoon glanced up and watched the white car as it went down the road. Or maybe they were staring at my wide eyes and open mouth, I couldn't tell.

Wurmple climbed up and down the few trees that dotted the clearing, and I could barely make out the circular shapes of cascoon and silcoon in the trees as Birch purposefully slowed down for me.

I was vaguely aware of my jaw hurting from the giant smile on my face as Birch parked in the small open garage and we headed inside the lab. This building was much less business-like than Oak's lab. It seemed to be more of a home than a workplace.

Birch set the keys down on a white counter and called out "Starla I'm home!" Starla?

"Oh, hello dear! How was the trip? Did you find what you… hello? Who are these two darlings?" An older woman with a kind smile appeared in the stairwell across the room. Birch embraced her lovingly and the two exchanged a quick peck on the lips.

My mind was blown.

Connor was first to step forward. Birch smiled. "Starla this is Connor, the recent Penta-Regional Champion."

"Oh yes I've seen the papers. Welcome dearie!" She pinched Connor on the cheek like a newborn and turned her attention to me. Connor's face was priceless.

"And you?" she asked. Her eyes searched mine, and she glanced at Birch. He nodded slightly, and looked at the ground. Starla Birch put her hand on her bosom and gasped. "You're a Player."

I nodded, suddenly feeling very exposed. I cleared my throat. "I'm Josephine, but you can call me Josi."

Starla took several steps forward, stopping just in front of me. She was shorter than me by at least a foot, and she reached up to stroke my hair in wonder, almost as if testing my solidity. It took her a moment to realize that I was real, and once she was past her original shock, she shook her head to clear it, and seemed back to her own self. There was just a slight extra carefulness she took around me, and a slowness when she spoke to me, but I didn't mind. She just needed to get used to me, just as I needed to get used to this new world.

"And the bathroom is just through that door," she was saying. "I assume you two will be staying the night?" The question was directed towards Connor and me, but her expression was angled towards Birch, who nodded. "Splendid! There are a few extra bedrooms upstairs, and you can make yourself at home." She made her way back towards the door through which she had come, and gestured for us to follow. "Come, come!"

Connor and I exchanged glances, shrugged, and headed up the stairs. I picked a small baby-blue colored room with a window facing out towards the back of the house. The view spanned over the remainder of the clearing, with the forest line starting just a football field's length away from the porch. I could make out the different vague shapes of various groups of pokemon dotted throughout the field. I smiled, giddy, as I unpacked some of my toiletries and headed to the bathroom to change clothes.

**[1:12]**

After a delicious lunch prepared by Mrs. Birch, we all headed out back to the porch to talk more about what our plans were for the next eight months; the time left before the opening of the Elite Four.

"And after Josi gets in, you will accompany her as a family member, and break off to figure out a way to shut the project down," concluded Birch after addressing Connor.

He nodded and cracked his knuckles. "Piece of cake."

Birch turned towards me. "Now, Josi, the time that I'm sure you have been waiting for all day has come. But first…" He reached into a small bag that was leaning against the chair on the patio, and produced a small, rectangular box about the size of my iPhone back home. He handed it to me.

As I observed it, turning it over in my hands, he spoke. "The information that Satoshi sent from the other side about you has already been installed into your pokedex, along with your very own trainer ID." This he produced out of a separate pocket in the bag and handed to me. I looked it over and recognized the picture as the same picture I had taken when I submitted my application to enter into the World Championship back in the Real World.

The pokedex was red, and had the pattern of a pokeball on the front of it. The metal was cold in my hands. I pressed the small button in the center of the long side of the box and it transformed. A screen slid out of the top of the box, and two doors, undetectable until this point, slid open to split the pokeball design in two and reveal a QUERTY keyboard, along with an ENTER button, a BACK button, and a RECORD button.

The screen at the top had doubled the size of the original box. At the top left was my name. Then just under my name was my picture, and just under that were the numbers 0/0.

"What do the numbers mean?" I asked Birch.

Connor cut ahead to answer before him. "The first number is the 'caught' number, and the second number is just recorded." As he spoke, he pointed to the numbers on the screen in turn. "It is only possible to get complete data on a pokemon if it is caught, but you should still try to record the data of each pokemon you encounter."

There were also six boxes to the left of the screen that I figured was for my party pokemon. Connor elaborated: "You should record your party pokemon so they appear in those boxes there. Their levels will appear, and if you click each box it will blow up to show a full size picture, along with their moves, weight, height, and things like that."

As he spoke, I studied the pokedex, memorizing its features. It looked nothing like I had pictured; nothing like the ones used by the characters in the TV show. It looked just like a DS in its shape, maybe just a little more complicated, with fewer buttons, a keyboard, and only one big touchscreen on the top. I smiled; finally, something that I was familiar with.

"This," began Birch, "is something else for you." Out of his pocket he produced another small box-like machine, this one around the size of an index card. It looked surprisingly like an iPhone, with one large touchscreen on the front. But instead of one circular button on the bottom center, this gadget had two square buttons on each of the short edges, so that when I held it sideways my thumbs settled perfectly on them. It was white, and blinked to life when I clicked one of the buttons.

"It's called a pokell, and it works very similarly to what you would call a 'cell' phone in your world." Birch pointed to either side of the pokell at the buttons. "Click these two buttons at the same time to lock the screen. Other than that, with the touch screen, it's pretty easy to navigate. It sends messages and makes phone calls, and you can download games as well. My address is already installed on it—ProfBirch3—and so is Connors…"

"Pokemasta101," he interjected with a grin. I rolled my eyes and looked down at the screen again.

"What is my address?" I asked, scrolling through the settings in an attempt to find it.

"We went ahead and made you a generic one before you arrived: Josi123. It's pretty easy to remember. Connor and I have it programmed in our own. It's a very useful device, I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

I played around with the pokell for a few more minutes, but I was distracted. The pokell was so similar to a smart phone back home that it took virtually no time at all for me to get the hang of it. I was only pretending to be interested to please Birch, but he saw through me I guess.

"I guess you're anxious to get your pokemon, huh?" I nodded a little too enthusiastically. "Well good. Now, I must preface this, you will not receive one of the usual starters I give out at the lab." My heart sank, and my hopes of getting a torchic flew away with the wind. "The outside world must have no idea that I was involved with this mission. Hey, look up at me." I struck a surprising tear from my cheek and looked up. He was smiling kindly. "I never said you weren't getting a pokemon! Now, I want you to instead go look out in the surrounding field and try to befriend one. It is a greater challenge, and will give you a chance to interact with some of them."

He tossed me something, which I reflexively caught. I examined it. It was a miniaturized pokeball. I turned it over in my hands, pressed the button, and nearly dropped it when it enlarged to around the size of a baseball.

Birch was giving instructions the whole time, while Connor looked on, amused. "Now, when you find a pokemon that has taken a liking to you, ask it if it would like to be your friend. You'll know if it agrees. Then, just hold the pokeball out in front of you," he mimed the action," and press the white button again. It will open, the pokemon will be enveloped in a red light, then one-two-three-click! It will close. Do you follow all of that?"

I looked up quickly and shook my head up and down, rendered speechless with nerves.

Birch smiled. "It really won't be that bad Josi. Now go have fun."

**I couldn't get off the porch fast enough.**

**[2:37]**

I could have walked around that field for hours. Everywhere I looked, little zigzagoon were bouncing through the grass, or tailow were flying in the sky. There was even a pond, and when I bent down I was surprised by the lilly pads that came to life and turned out to be lotad.

But soon I came to the edge of the forest, and I began to walk along the treeline. All of the pokemon I had seen had been friendly. I had pet a cute zigzagoon that was closer to the house, and it was amazing. It was so soft! And it was real, and I was entranced the entire time. But a longer ferret-like pokemon called out to it ("Noon!") and it headed back into the grass. The linoone led her pups towards the pond just like a mother duck. It was the cutest thing ever.

So it was as I was walking along the treeline that I heard a small whimper. I stopped and stood perfectly still to listen again. A few seconds passed, and then I heard it again.

"Yen. Eyen. Yenyenyen!" it whined. The noise was coming from just inside the trees, behind me and to my right. I turned to follow the noise, and made my way into the forest.

Just a few meters inside, I found the source of the noise. A small, black dog was caught in a thorn bush. It stood perfectly still, and would try every few seconds to lower its foot, but cried out in pain. On closer inspection I saw that the pads of its feet were dotted with thorns that must have been terribly painful to put pressure on.

The dog saw me and tried to take a step back, but yelped as soon as its foot touched the ground again. So it just stood, staring me down, but shaking uncontrollably.

"Hey little buddy," I cooed to the poocheyena. At the sound of my voice, the little dog just shook harder. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," I reassured. It didn't seem to work, for there was no change in the dog's behavior. I sat back on a rock to think.

I needed to get it out of the thickets somehow, but they looked tight, and I didn't think I would be able to reach in and get it out without hurting myself and hurting the poor thing even more. I closed my eyes and drummed my fingers on the rock beneath me, trying to think of another plan.

Then, I opened my eyes wide. I had an idea, and it could just work. I stood, bent down, and pulled the lumpy boulder off of the ground. It was heavier than it had first looked, and I strained to bring it up to my chest.

"Okay buddy, move aside!" I had no idea if it had heard me, I just hoped it did, because in that moment, just as I had reached the edge of the bush, it slipped from my fingers and hit the dirt, bringing a sizeable portion of the thorns down with it.

I huffed as I sat on the ground, exhausted. I rubbed my sore hands together and winced, but noticed something else. A little black figure was making its way out of the bush, working its way around the few remaining bristles. Warily, it approached me, walking at a slightly parallel angle to size me up. I kept still, not sure if I should make eye contact.

After a few moments, the poocheyena began to inch its way closer until it was about a foot from my left knee. It then sat on the ground and began pulling thorns out of its paw. I watched, fascinated. Then, in a moment of bravery, I reached over to pull some of the thorns out of the dog's hair on its back.

Its head snapped towards me, and I froze, but it must have assumed I meant no harm, because it just went back to its plucking. I scooted closer and used both hands, and I was soon pulling thorns out of its tail and ears as well. I was interested in the texture of its coat, which was thick and rough, more like a wolf than a pet.

After the ears were done, I tried a little head scratch. My Labrador back home always liked a little ear scratching, so I figured the poocheyena might enjoy it as well. I was not wrong. Soon, the little thing was wagging its tail and lolling its tongue out. I laughed out loud and it turned toward me, the fear gone from its eyes. Suddenly I knew.

"How would you like to join me on an adventure?" I asked.

"Poocheyena!" it barked in agreement. I wondered if it actually understood me, but I took it as a yes. I pulled the minimized pokeball out of my pocket, enlarged it, and pressed the button.

A red light that looked like a liquid enveloped the poocheyena, and its form dissolved and disappeared into the ball. I heard a beep from the pocket that contained my pokedex as the ball clicked with the capture. The ball in my hand felt no heavier, but it did feel warmer.

The name was no challenge, it was right in front of me. "Thorn," I said, enjoying the ring the name had, and its fittingness for a dark type.

I tossed the pokeball lightly between my hands as I walked back towards the lab, smiling until my jaw cramped.


End file.
